Folding gate



(No Model.)v I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R.'M. WILSON.

FOLDING GATE.

No. 351,084. Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

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(No Model.)

R. M. WILSON.

FOLDING GATE.

No. 35l,084. Patented Oct. 19, 1886'.

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NITED STATES PATENT Darren,

ROBERT M. WILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,084, dated October 19, 1886,

Application filed June 23, 1886. Serial No. 206,039. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. WILsoN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of myimproved folding gate extended so as to close the gateway; Fig. 2, a similar elevation, partly in section, of the gate when partly folded to open the gateway; Fig. 3, an elevation of the gate when completely folded to open wide the gateway, and Fig. 4 a detached sectional view illustrating a modification in the connection of the brace-bars with the pickets.

My invention relates to that class of folding gates or gratings which are constructed of a series of parallel bars or pickets connected by transverse hinged bars and connecting-braces, so that the parallelism of the bars or pickets shall be constantly maintained in all positions of the gate.

It has for its object to dispense with the ne-,

cessity of auxiliary supports resting upon the ground or other extraneous base, and to simplify the construction of the gate and lessen the cost of its manufacture.

It consists, chiefly, in the combination, with a series of longitudinally-slotted pickets or palings, of a swinging brace-bar hinged to the outer end of each picket-paling, to extend thence through the longitudinal slots in the two adjacent pickets on one side thereof, said bars being so shaped as to permit the pickets to close together and inclose and conceal the brace-bars, as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A A represent the two end posts or pickets of the folding gate, and B B B its intermediate parallel bars or pickets. The pickets are preferably made of tubular bars or rods, but may be of solid strips longitudinally slotted, as hereinafter described.

To the top and bottom of the outer picket, A, and of each picket B Bin the gate, a bracebar, 0, is pivoted to swing thence into a diagonal position inclined toward the inner post, A, of the gate when the pickets are spread apart and the gate thereby extended. Each brace-bar 0, thus pivoted to the top or bottom of a post, A, or picket B, is made long enough to reach, when extended at an angle of about forty-five degrees therefrom, to the farther edge of the second adjacent picket, and it is formed with offsets d d at the two points in its length which, when the bar is extended, shall be about midway between each pair of pickets intersected by it. Each offset (1 and d is of a length sufficient to bring the inner edge, e, of the bar above the offset in a right line, which, if extended, shall be outside of the outer edge, f, thereof below the same, while each post or picket to which a brace-bar is pivoted is longitudinally slotted or recessed inwardly from the pivot G for enough and to a sufficient depth to receive and inclose fully so much of the brace as is included between its pivotal end and a line drawn to connect its inner and outer edges, 0 f, across its first offset. When the brace O is swung into line parallel with said post or picket, as above described, the portion thereof projecting by rea son of its first offset, d, from the first picket in line parallel therewith, and included between the first and second offsets, is inclosed by or within a longitudinal slot in the opposite face of the next adjacent picket when the pickets are closed together, the slot being cut entirely through to permit the outer end of the brace beyond its second offset to project through it and pass, when the pickets are closed together in like manner as described, into a longitudinal slot formed in the third succeeding picket. The slot in the first picket next to that to which a brace is pivoted, and through which said brace is carried, is so extended as to permit a movement of the brace transversely through and longitudinally along said slot until the straight portion of the brace between its two offsets is wholly inclosed within the slot. The second picket beyond that to which the inner end of the brace is pivoted receives the outer free end of the brace, and is so slotted as to permit said end to slide longitudinally therein as the pickets are drawn together until that portion of the brace beyond its second offset, d, is folded and inclosed wholly within the slot. The outer end walls, 2' 'i, of the several slots,against which the braces strike when the gate is fully extended, serve each as a positive stop and a constant support for the outer edge of each brace, and from their arrangement, as described, prevent a further separation of the pickets so soon as the braces have attained an angle of forty-five degrees.

to the upper and the other to the lower ends of the posts and pickets of the gate, each set to incline at a corresponding angle from the top and the bottom, respectively, toward an intermediate central line, not only is an absolute parallelism of the posts and pickets maintained during each movement and in each position thereof, but a longitudinal play of-the pickets, or of either of them,is prevented,and the whole are firmly and properly braced and stayed to constitute an efficient gate which shall be self-supporting Without the need of auxiliary stays, props, or supports between the two ends thereof.

The outer free end of each of the lower set of braces may be notched on its outer edge, as shown at 2", Fig. 2, to engage the edge of the end wall of the slot in the picket through which it plays when the pickets are spread fully apart. I contemplate, also, in the construction of heavy gates, pivoting the outer end of each brace to a block, K, (see Fig. 4,) fitted to slide freely longitudinally within the longitudinal recess or tubular chamber in the picket, although such an attachment is not essential; also the employment of two horizontal tiers of hinged tie-bars, M M, pivoted to each of the pickets A and A, and to the central picket, the two tiers being connected;

by vertical bars N, pivotedto the hinged joints of. the bars M M, so as to couple them, the tiebars being of such length as that they will remain at an angle to each other when'the gate is fully extended, (see Fig. 1,) in readiness to fold freely as the gate closes, in manner as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The outer picket, A, of the gate may be provided with a friction-roller, L, at the foot thereof, or other equivalent support, which will permit its free movement to and from the inner post, the latter being fixed in the customary manner. 1

My folding gate, constructed as described, admits of being drawn out or folded in to open and close it, one bar or picket at a time, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In the operation thereof the free ends of the diagonal braces O G slide up and down in the slots in the pickets B B, to which they extend, and are prevented from drawing out therefrom by the opposite action of the two sets of braces inclining toward each other, each set being limited in movement by the bearing of the outer edge of the brace-bars included therein, with theends 13 i of the slots in the pickets through which said brace-bars extend, the length of the slots being, as described, so proportioned as to prevent a further expansion and in the line of their movements. By the use of a double set of braces pivoted and connected in manner as described, the one thereupon operate to lock and support all the parts, the intersection of the pickets by the brace-bars serving to firmly brace and support them laterally as well as longitudinally As the brace-bars O O fold into the longitudinal slots or recesses in the pickets B B, so as to permit the pickets to be brought closely together, the gate will fold compactly into the smallest possible compass.

-, I am aware that gates have heretofore been constructed consisting of series of upright pickets having crossed connecting-braces pivoted to the pickets at two or more central points,

and having upper and lower points of connection formed by pins or studs arranged to slide verticallywithin side grooves or slots formed in the pickets, the pickets being ar ranged to slide upon a base-support laid across the gate-opening; but my invention differs therefrom in that the braces do not cross each other, are not pivoted to the pickets at two or more points, but each at one end only, and are not fitted with pins or rivets sliding in grooves in the pickets to retain them in place,

but are left free at their outer ends, and in the fact, also, that the pickets are,when placed upright, supported in their central position with their parallelism unchanged without the need of a separate base-support or track across the gate-opening.

I claim as my invention- 1. A folding gate or grating constructed of a series of parallel movable pickets, each formed with a series of longitudinal slots or recesses therein, in combination with bracebars pivoted, each at one end only, to the opposite ends of each picket, to extend thence, when the pickets are spread apart, diagonally with an inward inclination, each through a slot in the next picket and into a slot or recess in the third picket, said bars being severally formed with lateral offsets between the pickets,whereby when the pickets are closed together the brace-bars shall be brought into parallel lines withthe pickets, and the first length of each between its'pivot and first offset shall be inclosed within the slot in the picket to which it is pivoted, its second length between its first and second offsets shall project laterally into and through the slot in the second picket and be covered thereby, and its outer length beyond the second offset shall project laterally into and be covered, by the slot in the third picket, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a folding gate, with a longitudinally-slotted picket and with bracebars pivoted to each end thereof and formed with offsets in its length to fold laterally against the picket and into a slot therein, of a second parallel picket longitudinally slotted to permit the brace-bars to pass laterally through the same, and a third parallel picket slotted to receive the ends of said intersecting, bracebars, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

'of transverse tie-bars coupled by connectingbars, which are pivoted to the joints of the tie-bars, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two snbscribing Witnesses.

R. M. WILSON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN H. J osE, W. H. BAKER. 

